Thank you all for spending time with us this evening.

Very much appreciate you uh coming today.

Very much appreciate our vendors who came out or service providers so we can connect with them.

Uh looking forward tonight to hearing what uh is possible here in Twalton and also hearing from the community on you know what the needs are if we're not aware of them right now, or things are coming down the pipe that we need to be aware of that you might know of that we don't.

Uh of course, uh the problem we're all facing right now is the lack of availability and affordable house affordability of housing in Twalton.

Uh all the city counselors or city staff were racking our brains as every other city is in the state on how to provide more affordable housing to the community in conjunction with what the governor is doing.

So I look forward tonight to hearing uh some new ideas or suggestions on how we all can do better and help each other out in reaching that goal of getting people off the street and get into safe affordable housing.

So with that, I'll go ahead and turn us over to Erin who will lead us through tonight's um meeting.

Thank you, Mayor.

Cody, are you able to transition the presentation materials?

Okay, thanks, Cody.

Once we get that cued up, I'll I'll begin the presentation.

But as the mayor expressed, I just wanted to thank all the service providers who generously provided their time to support our resource fair.

Um we appreciate you connecting our residents to the valuable housing information support and services.

And then also just want to recognize that if you celebrate Hanukkah, happy Hanukkah.

I might need help with the slides.

My clicker's not working.

Can we advance in the next one?

Thanks, Cody.

So for tonight's agenda, we'll discuss what severe rent burden is.

There's a house bill that came out from the state that set some guidelines around what severe rent burden is and how cities should address severe rent burden.

We'll also look at what's been happening locally in Twalaton and what progress Tualeton has made on housing work.

And then I also have some panelists joining me today.

So we'll be hearing about Plan Beck Gardens, some background and updates on what's happening there, and then we'll also hear about the supportive services that are offered there.

And we'll conclude with some questions for the panelists and some public testimony.

Next slide, please.

As I mentioned, I'm joined by some panelists today.

But to begin, my name is Aaron Engman.

I'm the senior planner here at the City of Tualeton.

And then I'm joined with by Melissa Stark, who comes from Community Partners for Affordable Housing, and her colleague, Julian Dominguez.

And we're also joined today by Derek Lopez from Community Action.

Thank you for being here tonight.

Thank you.

Next slide, please.

So the reason we're here tonight is the state of Oregon enacted a house bill in 2018 as a reaction to the state of housing emergency.

And like many parts of our country, Oregon is experiencing housing emergency.

So the state declared that if a city has at least 25% of renter households paying more than 50% of their income on gross rent, that's rent and utilities.

They are considered severely rent burden.

So as a city, we're here to discuss the causes and consequences of severe rent burden, the barriers to reducing rent burdens, and on uh more positive notes and possible solutions.

And to fulfill these state requirements, we have noticed housing providers, service providers, public housing authorities in both Washington County and Clackamas County, and many apartment residents in our city limits to join us here tonight.

Next slide, please.

So as I mentioned, this house bill began in 2018.

So we've been tracking data in the city of Twalton since that date.

Maybe another point too is that one thing I want to address is that Washington County has some of the most expensive rental rates in the state and a fairly low vacancy rate.

So just some context too for our local region.

Next slide, please.

So you may recall that recently Tweleton did engage in a housing needs analysis, and what we found in this report is that household incomes have not kept pace with the rising house prices, and I think a lot of our community members are feeling that crunch.

Lastly, there's a deficit of high density land designation, which kind of enables the creation of multifamily housing and some of the more dense housing types that have a lower entry.

Next slide, please.

Some low numbers with our single family attached.

We're doing I would say moderately well with our multifamily production at 41%.

But that being noted, we do have a vacancy rate of 4.3%, which is fairly competitive.

And what we found is that Twelleton's challenge over the next 20 years will be providing opportunities for the development of relatively affordable housing.

And that is generally deemed through the development of townhouses, duplexes, market rate, multifamily housing, and government subsidized affordable housing.

Next slide, please.

So our housing needs analysis forecasted that we'll have a demand for over a thousand new dwelling units to accommodate our population growth up to 2040.

But uh the state has also changed some rules around housing capacity analysis.

So that figure I think has increased, and we'll be digging into that deeper in the coming years.

But some of the recommended housing mix that was included in our previous housing needs analysis is the need for more single-family attached units and some more multifamily attached or sorry, multifamily units.

Part of this is due to changing demographics with the aging baby boomers and the household from formation of millennials, we found that that will drive the demand for smaller format housing in walkable neighborhoods with access to services.

Next slide, please.

So with this slide, I wanted to kind of draw from what's happening in our recent job markets.

I pulled some data from job postings that I found on Google in the Twalton area.

So I tried to find a range of jobs that were fairly low entry, where you don't need to have a specialized education or skill set to something that's highly specialized.

So you can see the various incomes from these four jobs that I had identified.

And what we find is that even when you're working full time, it's difficult to find rent in Twalton that's affordable to folks in some of the lower entry jobs where you don't need to have a specialized education or job experienced.

So for median income of one person, you would see that parks maintenance worker would be challenged to afford a one-bedroom apartment here in Twalleton.

Next slide, please.

This kind of ties that picture together a little more fully.

So generally, when you're looking at supportive housing, you're looking at a range between 30 to 60% of AMI, if I understand correctly.

So what we see is even a barista working full-time would still qualify for some supportive housing.

Um as well as the parks maintenance worker.

And the ranges that you see in the orange oval is a range from uh one person household to a four-person household of area median income.

So that's some context behind that number.

Next slide, please.

And on this slide, I just wanted to highlight that if you are seeking out supportive services for housing.

Um we have limited resources within Twalaton, so many of our residents will have to commute out of the city to seek out those services.

Next slide, please.

So to switch gears a little bit, I wanted to talk about what progress Twalton has made on housing work, um, particularly in encouraging a greater diversity diversification of housing types outside of the market rate single family homes that we discussed as being a need within our housing needs analysis.

So on this slide, you'll see that we've done a variety of things at the city from code amendments in support of middle housing to the adoption of some tax exemptions.

We also studied some funding strategies for our equitable housing funding plan, which I'll cover on a slide in a few slides.

Um then we also have Plan Back Garden here to provide an insight of what's been happening there, and we're so happy that they were able to come online in Twalaton this year.

And we also have done some recent code amendments this year that would support multifamily development.

And uh we have some additional amendments underway that will make the rules and regulations for housing development clear and objective so that there's more predictability for our developers.

And most recently, we're kicking off a housing need and housing capacity analysis.

So you'll be hearing from us in the future about that work.

Next slide, please.

So this slide illustrates the various ways that a city can support the diversification of housing production.

As we move from left to right, we notice the magnitude of impact.

Not surprisingly, the most impactful strategies are contingent on financial support from the city, either by forgoing revenue allocating funding or land acquisition.

Next slide, please.

So under council's direction, staff could revisit the funding plan and do a deeper study into the implementation of in any of these funding strategies.

And with that, I'll turn it over to my panelists at Plan Beck Gardens to kind of fill us in on what's happening there.

Can we advance to the next slide, please?

Hello.

Hi.

And we're a nonprofit based mostly in Washington County, and we develop um housing, and then we provide resident services.

And also as of 2022, provide some case management and rapid rehousing in Washington County.

We currently have 12 properties and over 642 homes.

With about five more properties in the pipeline with about six or two hundred and sixty-three more units planning to come on the next few years.

I'm sorry, can we just that's a moment of no, there's a clap that lived in it.

Um thank you.

Um we where was I?

This so Plan Back Gardens is our newest property, and we opened in Towallaton in March 2025, and um that was based on the from the housing Metro Affordable Housing Bond in additional federal office, um Metro Washington County and the city of Towallaton and the Energy Trust of Oregon, and it was named after uh Doug Planbeck who was a pivotal part in starting SEPA, and he was a board treasurer and was really involved in SEPA properties for the last 20 years, and he had a passion for Tualeton and really pushed to have affordable housing come to Tualaton.

So it is our first and only property in Tualeton.

We have a few in Tiger and Beaverton, one in Port, uh one in downtown Portland, and then also one in Hillsdale, which is the watershed um property, and then so that's kind of the overview of CEPA and Plumbeck Gardens has 11 units with 16 units for those people like exiting homelessness or permanent permanent supportive housing, and then 47 of the units are open to residents at 30% AMI or below, and eight per eight project-based vouchers, and then 69 units are open to residents at 40 to 60 AMI or below.

And what makes Plumbeck Gardens special is over half the units are two to four bedroom units, so they really provide housing for families, and some of them have up to like six six family members inside the units.

And if you haven't seen the property, it's a very uh tailored toward families.

It has basketball courts and gardens and uh playgrounds and a huge community room that has really brought people together at the property since it opened in March.

And I think we're 100% full right now.

Uh we're about we I think we're 100% leased up as of September.

So like that's great news for us.

It took a little bit longer than anticipated, but that's so many people like possibly off the streets or you know, from other more like less affordable housing into affordable housing units.

And I have Julian Luna Dominguez here, and he is the resident service coordinator at Plumbeck Gardens, and then we partner with Community Action to provide the services to our prop our PSH properties, and that's um Derek Lopez, and then we also have a clinic on site which will eventually be filled by Neighborhood Health Center so that people will have medical abilities right there on site.

So it's a really great um property, and I can pass it to Julian and he can talk more about resident services and what he's doing there.

Good evening, Twalton.

My name's Julian Luna Dominguez, I'm the resident services coordinator for Plant Beck Gardens.

Um it's been a pretty amazing journey so far with the residents there.

Um we've had about two resource fairs.

One was in the summer, and the second one was in fall, and we're just constantly doing events to try and get the community together, create more friendships, relationships with all the members there, and then also inviting lovely partners to have um events there, and then also working with amazing organizations such as Twalton together with Cindy.

Um it's been going really really great, and I'm grateful to be part of this project because helping people is one of my passions, but also being able to help and see it directly every day is honestly fulfilling, and I'm glad to have you know the ability to do that and also have some support from a wonderful residents.

So thank you.

Hello, I'm Derek Lopez with Community Action.

I'm the on-site housing support specialist over at Plan Beck Gardens.

Um I'm the one that works with the permanent supportive housing folks there, um the 16 uh units.

Um, and uh a little bit about what we do.

So, as previously mentioned, we have um eight PBV units, project-based vouchers, those are provided through the Washington County housing and as well as OHCS vouchers as well as the other half of that 16.

Um, and yeah, it's been really great working there so far.

Um really happy with a lot of the progress.

Um we have some great success stories that have come out of it too.

Um, and yeah.

All right, thank you for sharing.

And with that, I think do we want to open it up to questions of the panelists or okay.

Are there any questions for questions or testimony for either the city plan back or community action?

Or would we like to go straight to public testimony?

Yes.

Um maybe on this now, um, what is the wait list look like or um currently so what you would do to get on the wait list at Plumbeck just for our regular affordable housing units would be to call the property management, and that is currently Pinehurst.

So they're kind of the ones who keep that.

We try to keep like the services and then hire on property management to deal with like those type of things so that there can be a real separation that the work we work together but separate so that they know that they can come to Julian and Derek with any concerns, any like try to work with them through any problems through if they get notices, anything like that.

So the current um wait list process is usually through them, and also if you go on SEPA's website, you can find the current vacancies at all of our properties, and then it'll like send you the number to who you should contact there.

So I'm I get a vacancy report every month for all of our properties, and I'm not too involved in that side, but I definitely know that there aren't any currently there, and so they just call the property itself and they can get on the wait list.

And I'm not sure what the amount of time is right now.

And then if they want to, if if someone is interested in being in the PSH unit, they would go through coordinated entry and call there, and then that's how they would get them connected to community action to then do the steps, which is a more intensive process to get in on that wait list and possibly a longer wait because there is only 16 units, but it does come with services like having the case manager on site.

Derek helps people get set up like in their unit, he gets them connected with community warehouse to get furniture.

He gets them like all the things people need, like especially coming possibly off the streets, so he gets them beds and and dish towels and all the things that someone needs to make a home, which is especially you know important for individuals and families, which is great.

Like the kids get their beds and their their comforters they want, and just things like that to make them know and feel that they finally have a home after a period of time of not.

So it's really special and it is harder to get on with that, but you know, when they finally get there, I think a lot of people have been really happy with it.

Yes, it is welcome.

Yes.

Do you want to come up and use the microphone?

Do you feel comfortable doing that?

I used to hPE, so I think they can hear me.

Thank you.

Okay, there we go.

I have a friend with physical disabilities.

So how what percentage of your property and properties at CEPA are enabling people with physical disabilities to live comfortably.

Um also disability, disability advocacy is something that all the cities need to focus on with our aging population.

It's a big deal.

Most of us are gonna have arthritis and hips and all those issues.

So the plan bank gardens.

Yeah.

I'm not sure the exact percentage, but I do know that we have some ADA units, but also all of our newer properties, the ones that have been made in the last 10 years, I would say, have elevator access.

They also have the doors with the the handicap, um, like wheelchair accessible, which is really nice.

Um they have ramps, like no area that's only accessible through stairs in community areas, it's something that everyone should be able to get to.

And um trying to think of other um they also have like you can get like special accommodations to like have bars put in your showers, have just whatever you would need.

SEPA is really great about a call like accomplishing that.

So if someone has a note from their doctor saying they need extra bars, they need this, they need that, like we're able to get it and make it so it fits that person's needs.

Because one of the things I go to a lot of um meetings as a former commissioner volunteer in the city of Tiger, and I hear constantly that um it takes multiple complaints by people to get any inspections done.

It takes multiple complaints to a landlord if you have the courage to do so to make changes, and if you're a disabled person trying to get things fixed for yourself to make you know uh safer is hard to do.

And I that's one of the things for city counselors.

Um focusing on disability is gonna be a big deal with our aging population.

Apparently, by I think it's 2030, they said there'll be more people over the age of 65 than children in the entire state, right?

So and a lot of the older buildings that we have, you cannot retrofit them with elevators.

Um, so building new buildings that have the elevator services and are focusing on that as well as um ADA access on ground floors.

Um currently I have a friend who's in a senior housing project that's affordable, but all the ground for our units to get to them, you have to go downstairs.

They're not level access.

Um nothing is ADA compliant.

So that's one of those things that it's really hard to address.

An older building, and as the new buildings we have to focus on making those improvements.

So thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

And it's SEPA, we have two dedicated senior 55 and older properties right now, and then a few that are kind of focused on it.

And so, and a couple in the pipeline, one called Meadowlark that's coming into Beaverton, and they really listen the housing side of um our agency really listens to the community and what they need.

They ask a lot of questions, they try to get as many people to panels before they start designing so they can really get first hand experience.

And I think each property that comes online, like they adapt more and more and like really know that the needs like of people the aging population is so big, and also we really encourage people to connect with their resident service coordinator because if they're not being heard by their property manager, that's when the resident service coordinator will go to the property manager and be like, we need this done, and they'll go to our asset manager and say we need these accommodations done, and like it really helps to get things moving and like get the residents what they need.

Seeing as none, I might turn it over to the mayor.

Right.

I've got three folks who are signed up for public testimony.

You don't have to be signed up.

Uh but I'll take those three folks who are signed up, and then if you want to, after these three folks, just raise your hand.

You can come on up and provide public testimony.

So the first one I have is it Catherine Ball.

Do I have it right?

Come on up.

Welcome.

There's a little button that says red on.

There you go.

Got it.

Is it working?

You got it.

Hi, my name is Catherine Ball.

I live at Plan Beck Gardens.

Um, the reason why I'm up here today is as much as I love where I live, and everything is you know, the best that you can with it being kind of brand new and things are still trying to be figured out, is the transportation issue.

I'm sorry.

I have a uh seven-year-old daughter, and I have to she goes to Mitch charter school because of her disabilities and certain things, it it's just better for her.

Mm-hmm because of her disabilities and certain things, it it's just better for her.

And where I live is Sherwood School District.

Mitch doesn't have transportation out my way, or does they will provide transportation?

They won't.

And the problem is is that the bus out there, it says uh it will come at 6 50, and some days it doesn't even show up.

And some days it does, some days it doesn't, and it's hit and miss.

We will be waiting for an hour or so out there.

I have complained to TriMet every time it has not shown up, or it flies right past us.

Um the issue that this is causing, not just for me, but for other people who live in the complex, is that some of us don't drive because of our disabilities uh mobility issues, and I'm one of those people I have a neurological issue dash uh disability, and I cannot physically drive safely.

And staring other people are the same way and trying to get around to with how the bus runs out there.

This I don't I think it's the uh I forget what the bus line is called.

Thank you, 96.

Um, but it is the but it just runs oddly.

And some of us have appointments at certain times that we need to make and we can't get out there.

Not uh all of us can be approved for lift uh pickups.

And so one of my things that I have brought up to Julian multiple times is how is there a way that we can get better, you know, like a TriMet system, not TriMet, but like Twalt even Twaleton shuttle to come out uh here and there.

Or we live right next door to Wilsonville.

I'm sorry, but that's my other thing is that they have free bus service out there.

Can we somehow connect with them to get them to maybe help with some transportation help?

It's really needed where we live, and most of our population do not drive and are stuck and it's not yeah.

I tot we all totally hear you.

We battle TriMet as well.

And with when Plan Beck Gardens was in design, we were talking with TriMet about service there and you know it was all about the ninety-six and ninety-six having uh continuous service, being seven days a week, running more frequently.

Um now we've got the predicament of TriMet um in a financial situation where they're gonna be cutting service discontinuing lines.

Um so that Plan Beck Gardens and that whole route has been top of mind for council.

Um TriMet will be coming to City Council in the beginning of the year uh to present uh their their financial state and you'll be sure that we're gonna beat up on them about the 96, the 76, you know, the handful of buses we do have and the criticality of service running up and down Boons Ferry Road where you're at.

We're hearing it from the high school too.

The high school kids are frustrated they can't get buses.

Right.

Um that's the main bus that that helps them get to school and back home.

And so um and uh just like you are, I've always been, you know, eyeing smart.

You know, smart's right there.

So uh I say stay tuned.

Metro um TriMet's gonna be here.

I just last week had a meeting with our the board member that represents Twalton on TriMet.

Uh he has been a champion for the 96 to keep it running to keep it frequent, but he's on a losing battle right now.

Yeah, they're being really stumbered and it's been a non-stop go.

I will be not the only one who complains to them about it.

So nope, and uh keep an eye out when TriMet comes, because I I ask you to come out if you can to be here that night.

Do you know what day that might be?

Sheryl's over there, no date yet.

Yeah.

It's the first meeting of February.

Okay.

The second Monday in February.

Okay.

Um February 9th.

February 9th.

Okay.

And I apologize for talking about that, but that's like No, don't a big issue.

No, it's it's it's more ammo and it's more folks instead of just hearing us always I'm just gonna say it bitching and complaining that s their service sucks.

Yeah.

That I want residents there too to say, hey, you know, we're the people.

Well, I was thinking about getting petition uh started and getting people to sign it.

So maybe I'll do that before the February and then bring it in.

That'd be great.

Well, thank you guys, and I'm sorry for bothering you about the coming.

You're welcome.

All right.

All right.

Uh next up uh James Black.

Welcome, James.

Richard wanted to say something.

Oh, you want to say something?

Yeah, I did.

Um thank you for all the testimony so far, and we are here to listen, and this isn't about um a feel-good moment.

We want to know what the issues are.

So thank you so much for coming and letting us know.

That's our job.

Um I was just curious because of the work that we had had that conversation around transportation for um dialysis patients with the lift.

Um, if there is um needs around this, if that could be considered, or the Twaliton for school times could be considered.

I know the school times were looked at.

Um this is the questions that we can have for TriMont when they come.

Uh one of the things you all we always hear back from TriMet is ridership, ridership, ridership.

If they're not seeing consistent ridership, they think the bus lines can be eliminated.

Uh and so they're saying that right now the 96, no one's writing it.

Uh, that they don't like having empty buses go up and down lines.

So uh we need to prove that folks do have a need for it and that they need that bus service.

So one of the things we're gonna have to do is when TriMet's here is bring up the question about ridership.

Uh lift, you know, what qualifies you for lift, was it a qualify free lift?

Are you even in the lift district?

Because not all not all of Twalaton, I came to find out is qualifies for lift.

It's outside the Lyft district in certain certain spots of Twalaton.

So again, on that's a that February meeting, you know, you know, we'll take notes and we'll be asking these questions.

And uh, and if you have any more questions about uh service with TriMet, uh please send an email to Aaron or to city staff or council at you know tualiton.gov, and we'll ask these questions to TriMet for you.

Be more than happy to do that for you.

And then my other question was with Mitch.

I wasn't sure if you knew.

Um I know that Plan Back Gardens um if you want to apply to be a Tualeton resident that uh Tualeton School District that you can get uh exchange.

I think they stopped through the public school.

I think I'm not sure, don't quote me.

I think TTSD has stopped all the schools are stopped exchanges.

Yeah.

And Mr.

Bus service, yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yep.

That's news.

So thanks for asking the question because that's news and because what the one of the things, one of the concessions they did make is for high school students in Mitch, they can opt to go to Twalton High School, but for elementary and middle school, you have to go to Sherwood.

There's no exceptions.

Go ahead.

Mitch is just uh little information.

Mitch is a charter.

Yeah, and TT, but it falls under TTSD.

It's funded through TS TTSD.

They don't do trimets they don't do technically transportation very much anyway, but uh it's just I just didn't know.

I'm sorry.

No, it's it's fine.

No, ask the questions.

Right.

All right, Mr.

Black, you're up.

Hello.

I wanted to share that.

I have um first hand lived experience with being homeless in this area, and um spent a portion of 2022 and 23 um unhoused.

I simply um could not keep up my income, could not keep up with rising rent costs.

And um finally was able to get assistance through um the Arla program.

Ums like this are great.

They provide invaluable support to people in need.

However, um something that should be kept in mind and and people need to remember that these programs are extremely overwhelmed and um they're very very slow to get assistance to people while they're waiting.

It it took me a year and a half on the waiting list to get assistance.

Um yeah, so that said, I also wanted to share that.

I feel very skeptical that building more housing is going to create affordable housing.

Um, because I have never in my life seen that happen in the real world.

I've never seen it happen.

For example, talking about you know the need for more multifamily housing in Towalaton.

Toaletin um recently had an addition of the the Commons on Towalleton River, which opened in 2023, and I don't know about right now, but when they opened, they were charging $1,800 for a studio apartment.

So building more housing is one thing, but who's going to own this housing, and if it's just gonna be more corporate investors, that's not gonna solve like the problem.

Um I would really like to um to advocate for some serious consideration of whether there are any type of rent control measures that can be taken in our community because building more housing is one thing, but if the rents aren't affordable, then that really isn't going.

People will move in who can afford it and push out the people who can't, basically.

So just wanted to put that out there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Um next up I have Rebecca Morgan.

Welcome.

Hello and good evening, mayor and city council and community members.

I really appreciate you for being here tonight.

Um I had a five-page speech, and Cody informed me that it's three minutes, so I shrunk it up and I'm not as happy with it, but here we go.

I'm very grateful for this platform, even though it exists because members are sorry, it exists because too many families are cost burdened and being pushed to the edge.

My name is Rebecca Morgan.

I'm a renter, a single mom, a survivor, and a child care provider near the Boons Ferry Bridge.

Housing for me is not just shelter, it is my children's stability, my ability to work, and the foundation that allows other parents to also work.

Last year I was here, I shared that my family experienced homelessness for the fourth time in 2022, tents and shelters before coming to Tualetin through Rapid Rehousing Program.

I rebuilt here, I volunteered for a community emergency response team, and I served on Twilight Idea Committee, having just completed two years with supports from nonprofits like Central Cultural, I was able to become a licensed home daycare provider operating out of my apartment.

I want you to hear what Matt what that means.

I did what people tell you to do.

I showed up, I served, I created child care for working families, I built something stable with my own two hands.

And for a moment I actually did it.

I achieved some stability until I left my excember.

Something, a secret that I had.

Sometimes it actually brings a cliff.

And when you're a parent, you don't you don't want to fall alone.

And that's where I'm at.

Tonight matters because rent burden is not only financial, it is biological.

When you spend more than half of your income on housing, your nerves, your nervous system lives in that threat mode.

Sleep breaks down, focus drops, and life becomes emergency math.

You're not failing, you're reacting to chronic instability.

You're reacting to chronic instability.

My daycare has been on pause since August because my home has become unsafe and unstable.

And I have been forced into constant crisis management around housing safety and eviction.

I am now out of work, back on TANF and SNAP.

Rent is 2250 plus roughly, I want to say even more than this, but it's $500 a month for utilities and for laundry.

People say to move, but moving takes deposits, application time off work.

I'm working on all three of my court cases.

Now I'm in three courts.

And a margin of rent burden literally destroys that possibility.

And when my daycare paused, I did not only lose income, families lost care.

Kids lost routine, parents lost the ability to work.

They had to find new care for their families.

The cost spreads across our whole community.

At the same time, my life has become criminal court, family court, and eviction court.

Well, I can continue documenting series, habitability concerns in my unit.

There's structural movement that shows up every day in things like my doors that twists, floors split, walls pull, ceilings deform.

I watched a beam literally come through the ceiling of my hallway.

But too often it gets minimalized as routine maintenance and cosmetic fixes while rinse stays due in full.

When storms hit the ground that is already saturated, and a building is already shifting, just wait, is not neutral.

It means I'm going home after this, and I'm gonna prepare for a possible evacuation tomorrow.

And also another loss.

Safety concerns that are treated as safety with accountability and realistic relocation support and protection for home-based child care providers are essential community infrastructures.

I can submit this, my full report to you in rate in writing.

But even in survival mode, shaking hands, nerves.

But in that survival mode, people still show up.

And I'm standing here as proof of that.

But we should not have to fight this hard just to live safe.

So thank you for being here and for your time for your ear.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And please do submit your five-page one, please.

Yep, with with your recommendations.

We will have them.

All right, thank you.

Other folks.

Those are the uh people I had signed up.

Anyone else who would like to speak to the form tonight.

Yeah, come on up.

Hello, my name is Cynthia.

Um I was I just wanted to mention what I've heard about TriMed, is that yes, it's a zone company, but it gets funded by the government.

So and they also um had to let go a lot of bus drivers.

Um also heard a verdict said um that they actually overdid it.

They let go too many bus drivers, so now they're trying to get some of those bus drivers back.

Um there's a line like next to my apartment that technically well I also heard technically a bus is supposed to come every 15 minutes.

That line now it's every hour.

So that's something I just wanted to mention.

Yeah, and that's one of the things we mentioned about folks who need bus service when you take away the frequency of service almost defeats even have the line at all.

That you know, if it's only you're used to it coming four times an hour and now it's coming once an hour, you have to juggle your whole day, and if you have to make connections, it makes it even harder.

So it just drives down writership even more.

Um so there's gotta be better solutions, and that's what we're all looking forward to when TriMEC comes uh trying to figure out these kind of things that people can get the sort of services they need, the frequency they need, get to work, get to the services that might not be here in Twalton.

Um council Brooks is one who harps on, you know, most people have to go all the way up to Hillsborough to get service from Twalton.

That could be two and a half hours each way.

So those kind of things need to be looked at um to make it easier to get the services that people are are deserving and needing, and you know, people are paying taxes for the walk down to the things, but that takes like an hour in something crazy.

But then it can go up to other public comments.

Council Brooks.

Um I think another part of that conversation around trimat and public transportation that's really important.

Um when I serve on the pad board for the county for funding projects like SIBA through the community um block development block grant and different things like that.

And one of the things that we look at when determining um grant applications is the public transportation.

So if you have an organization that tells us that it runs 15 minutes or runs every hour, but you can't trust that, and you're especially vulnerable because you have medical needs, appoint more appointment needs, and less ability to get there.

This is to me um also a public trust issue where you know we want to make the best decisions where these buildings go, and we need to be able to trust these organizations to um to keep their commitments or help us resolve to have different options.

I would like to see smaller and more tailored um transportation myself.

Um I also just am wondering about even people getting together and figuring something out as far as you know, like a ride share type thing.

Um, but it's really disappointing.

So I just want to put that in there because when we have this conversation, it has so much of a bigger impact than just one rider.

You know, we have to have confidence in the time and availability of these um of these services.

Thank you very much.

Yes.

Okay, come on up.

Welcome.

Good evening.

My name is Heidi Johnstone.

I'm an advocate for the disabled and elderly, and I've worked with properties and organizing like Woodspring Apartments in Twilighton.

We're all under the umbrella of the Washington County uh housing authority and all subsidies that come through them.

I have advocated for accessible building for disabled people and elderly people with elevators.

The elderly that age out of these buildings like Woodspring was broke ground, it's a 55-plus active community.

People are aging out, not because of age, but because of disabilities that they've acquired that they can no longer traverse three stories.

There's a silent crisis here that no one is addressing or aware of.

The disabled people and seniors are being locked out of housing.

And a lot of these seniors have no families to go to, have no resources to access.

And so if if all of all housing was made with elevators, it would be accessible to all.

There would be no barriers.

And everyone that needed housing would have it available to them.

There's not ground floors or a premium, and even ground floors, especially at Woodspring have stairs.

So people need to be able to age in place.

We have people uh greatest baby boomers are the it's exploding the population.

And these are people that a lot of them are independent or want to stay independent or have no choice.

So housing to address that crisis and also disabled people with reasonable accommodations.

I have had nothing but problems because even affordable subsidized properties do not require ADA and fair housing compliance training so that reasonable accommodations are processed appropriately quickly, and uh and as far as addressing the person and listening to the disabled person.

I I personally it has been the bane of my existence.

I have been I have uh worked with elders in action.

I've sat on the accessibility committee for the new Multnomah courthouse years ago before it broke ground.

I'm very familiar with the ADA, I've been an ADA consultant, and it is a widespread problem, but nobody talks about it because individuals that do are shut out.

And there's a when they try to address this problem.

As an example, Washington County has a basic form that's for ADA accommodation requests.

In order to even apply for a reasonable accommodation, you have to sign a waiver and an authorization to your medical and personal records.

That is that is a violation of the ADA and the Fur Housing Act, but that is there, and it is a reality.

So you have to be make it more so that it's so that the ADA process is accessible so people can get the accommodations they need to live wherever where they can get the housing that they need.

Thank you.

Other comments.

Yes.

I've been waiting for a while for my CV even be, you know, approved or even looked at through my apartment.

And that's been a frustration because I keep plugging my management and asking them about it.

And these there's really no answer.

Okay.

If I may just interject, this is really is a crisis.

And I if anything, the city council can do is to listen to individuals like us to try to cut through this and make sure the properties and even subsidized properties are in compliance and listening and helping us.

Otherwise, it makes our life hell.

Okay.

I got plenty of notes here.

We're listening.

Uh thank you to each of you for your testimony.

I have a question that I would love your insight on, including the panel.

It was recently brought to my attention, uh, and I hope I capture this correctly, that um people living in multifamily homes or apartment buildings, don't necessarily so they do not get an individual utility bill from the city of Tualeton, for instance, because that bill goes to the management or to the complex or whatever management.

However, when people are first moving into these properties, they they may not um be as savvy as people who have lived in them many times, and so know that there's going to still be a separate utility bill.

So there is then the the property owners then send a separate utility bill that creates confusion.

Is that is that have I captured that right?

Is that a thing?

And could any of you or would any of you be willing to speak to that to help me have better clarity?

And can I say one last thing?

Because I've asserted my disability rights where I live right now.

I am being and I'm being retaliated against, and they're threatening me with eviction for trying to protect my health and the health of my service dog that couldn't make it here tonight because she's suffering.

So this is a reality.

I work with an Afghani family in Cedar Mill.

You can hear me, I think.

You want the microphone because it's Zoom because they're publicly that's true.

We're gonna talk about making sure everyone has access.

Absolutely.

I work with an Afghan family.

Um they've been here in the country since January.

Oh, next January will be two years.

Um they receive a PGE bill, and they're in Cedar Mill.

So this is a volunteer thing through my church.

But they have that separate bill that they receive.

They're also paying water and garbage through the actual apartment complex there, which is uh considered affordable housing.

Okay, but they're still paying electric.

And that I told them I said, don't even bother turning your heat on until it gets really cold because all they have is one little wall unit heater in their apartment complex, and they have no air conditioning.

And so this is what I call really affordable housing for them.

Um I said heat rises, comes to the ceiling, keep your windows closed if you need to, you know, and she's constantly cooking, so you can keep that heat going.

But the thing is they struggle with once they make the rent payment, then they have to make the utility payments, and then they have to make the car payment because they're paying on a car, so they have a vehicle that works, and then the insurance.

And so I given them a list of food banks, food pantries in the area, and I'm asking for all these resources that we had in the city of Tiger, need to be severely updated because when it came to um post-COVID, we found out the resource list was not updated, and a lot of these places weren't functioning anymore.

So after all these costs are paid, I'm sending them to all the food pantries in the area just to get basic food boxes to survive, and then they have to spend any money they have left on halal meat because they don't eat regular meat, that's only halal.

Otherwise, it's a vegetarian diet.

So that's what this one family's existence is, and they have four children now.

The fourth child was just born.

Many medical bills, thank God for our Oregon Health Plan taking care of this family.

But I don't know how they would survive otherwise.

So utility bills, yeah, definitely they get a bill for electricity.

But I thank you very much for speaking to that, but I'm hoping to understand better in the city of Twalton, because I don't know anything, I don't know anything about the billing process in Tiger or the other community that you mentioned.

So is there anyone in Towalleton who could help me or would be willing to share that?

I'm not sure I understand specifically what you're asking, but I live at an apartment community where we do get a separate utility bill from the property management that includes um garbage, um water, sewer, and also now electric and gas for common areas.

This is something I've never had to pay before in my life, all my life renting, never had to pay these utilities besides what was specifically in my apartment, never paid water because the the water is just the entire property gets charged for water, they're not it's not separated by building or anything.

So personally, I feel that it is not fair and almost in a way unethical to charge us for water when it's the entire property, all buildings that are using this water, and they're simply just splitting it up per unit, and I'm a single person living in a one-bedroom house, and they have you know families of five, you know, and all different types of households.

So, how is that fair or ethical?

So that's my issue with it.

Thank you.

I was trying to so that that helps me uh understand.

So thank you very much.

I really appreciate your sharing that.

I'm sorry my question wasn't more clear.

And I can answer on at least I can answer on behalf of Plantback Gardens, uh, Plant Back Gardens, they are charged rent, and then they receive a separate PGE utility bill.

Um the other utilities are I believe included in rent, which you know that's its own thing, but at least anytime I speak with a resident regarding rent, I always ask the question of how are you doing on your PGE bill because that's separate from rent, and I want to make sure that not only do they stay housed but also have their lights on.

So that's another thing I wanted to clarify for that at least.

Thank you, Julian.

Um, to kind of speak to the coming for team here.

Um to kind of so I live in town.

I live at Rivercrest Meadows.

But we still have this pretty massive utility bill that's just water sewer garbage.

That's roughly like 200.

It's not always the same amount, it's not always consistent.

Um that is on top of that, and there was a period of time that I was like the only person able to pay rent, and that was nearly like 75-80% of like just base rent and utilities.

That's not even considering PGE, which has been averaging like 180 to 100 plus a month just for like a two-bedroom apartment, uh, might be a little bit lower if you have um if you're like in a place that has uh um like what like the amenities that make things solar panels and that sort of thing, but my place does not have those features, so it's very expensive just to be able to afford the heat and electricity.

Um I've uh in a former uh position, I've been able to get some folks housed like in the toilet in areas, um, a rapid rehousing, and I know like um there were quite a few apartments that um the the utilities were not included in rent, so it might be like a base of 1500, and then a lot of times they weren't billed for rent or for the utilities, the first cycle that would come like a couple of months later, and a lot of times what you would see is um this kind of massive lump sum of like instead of it being say eighty dollars for your water sewer garbage, it would be like 250 that very first month, or the like when it when the cycle finally came through, and then it might taper down to about like 120 or whatever it might be for that place after.

But I think that would that might be really hard for folks who are like getting stable for the first time to be able to um kind of plan for some of those utilities because they're thinking like, oh, okay, so my rent, I've got the $1,500 for my rent or whatever it is, some of it might be vouchers, some of it might be your own employment or however it is that you're able to get to that amount, and then suddenly you've got this like steep bill that's tacked on to that, and uh that will oftentimes add up.

So a lot of times people would see um eviction notices come in because they're paying their base rent, but they're not paying their utilities, and or they don't have enough money to pay for the utilities even after rental assistance and and different sorts of vouchers and things coming through because whatever they might be getting, the utilities are more than what their bill is, and then you get $50 fees or so on top of that just because you can't afford to pretty much you get a poor tax because you can't afford to pay the bill, and that's terrible.

You people like this will add up, and then after like so many months, people start getting evicted, or like all these these notices come in.

That's like you have to pay this right now, or you've got 30 days to pay this, otherwise you're gonna be out of here.

So that that that's just I don't know.

You got people who are like in trying to get stabilized, and then it's just not yeah, it sucks.

I mean, I mean stay there.

Yes, talk me through this.

Um because just to be clear, part of your rental agreement is to pay your utilities.

So when those utilities don't get paid, you're breaking your rent agreement, which is where the eviction comes from, correct?

Yeah.

Huge problem, right?

And then the other thing that we know we see is someone will get evicted.

Yeah, but those utilities still haven't been paid.

So maybe they get themselves in a situation where they're ready for their next home, but now they have this huge utility bill that has to be paid off.

And figuring out arrears on that is a barrier to now get into housing.

Right.

Because basically what happens is you've got this past due balance for a former place, and maybe you're able to move on to another place after being evicted, and they're like actually willing to work with you, but you can't move in until the past due balance for the other place has been paid, and it can be really, really hard to find rental assistance to be able to cover that past due balance in debt.

So a lot of times you're just stuck in homelessness and houselessness because it bites you in the butt.

And our friend here, our ARLA system might cover your rent fully, but not your utilities.

And if you were approved for housing at a zero income status, you still have to figure out that other piece, which again is cause for eviction.

So we're setting people up for failure in certain scenarios.

I think more and more Cindy, sorry, counselor Hiller, um we are um seeing property management companies.

I think Plan Back Gardens is an exception to having all of the utilities in that rent payment.

I wish that was the norm.

That needs to be it used to be in so many scenarios.

We're seeing that change where property management companies are separating it.

And then the point that was made here, they're tacking on this, you know, community thing.

Um so you're paying a portion of the community room and you're paying a portion of the leasing office utilities as well.

Which is which is shocking in a lot of scenarios.

So you get these large, large bills that you were not prepared for.

You could be making sure you're closing your windows and not keeping your AC on at all times or turning your heat up too much to try to keep your bill minimal, but then you're paying for an entire community.

Yeah.

It's a struggle.

It's it's an added struggle to just being able to try to be housed.

Thank you, Irene.

Thank you all very much.

It helped me create a picture of what's happening here and maybe what's happening in fellow communities.

Yes.

With the plan about gardens, we don't have to pay like water stewardage or any of that, but we do have to pay our electricity still separately.

I just wanted to make that clear.

When we talk about utilities, it goes from a range of um water sewerage, you know.

So I just wanted to make that clear.

Sorry.

Um, I'm just curious if anyone utilizes the Twalton um utility bill assistance program.

Yeah, that's my community.

That's you have to have a separate bill.

It can't go through the management company.

Okay, but if you were gonna get a bill for your electricity, you could do it.

No, it doesn't cover PG and E.

Howard covers the property power, is that accurate?

Or water?

Water, I believe, and it's a max of three hundred dollars a year, I believe.

And since it's not our bill, it doesn't come to us, it's okay.

Thank you.

Oh I just want to say, like all of us work in different areas.

Well, we overlap, but like with the um disabilities and aging.

Um, like some of us have gone to ARP meetings, we're fully aware.

I mean, um that always concerns me because they want to take some three-story building with stairs and put seniors in it, and I'm like, well, you get a certain age, that's a little tough, especially if you're carrying groceries up the stairs, and then um the transportation issues.

Um, literally, the mayor and I were talking about a lot of the same things you were talking about today.

But um, I've learned so much tonight from what you've said and appreciate it so much because that gives us the information that we can advocate for our city and the people that live here.

So thank you very much.

Well said.

Any other comments?

PGE does have a subsidy program.

Yes.

So you have to apply for it individually, but you can get up to 40% off your electric bill that you have to reapply every year.

Yeah, PGE or um community action also has funds to cover um electric bills and toileton if needed.

And what we usually do at all of our properties is once a year have community action come out, and our residents can just sign up with them right there, and it makes it really helpful.

And if they don't currently owe, then they'll get a credit even on their account for like two or three hundred dollars, which is really helpful throughout the year, and other properties might be able to do that too.

But if they can't, you can come like contact community action and try to get help with your electric bill.

Thank you guys for all your time and your patience with all of us talking and giving us giving you guys our uh what it whatever our uh comments and stuff.

We appreciate your guys' time and everything.

So that's that's what we're here for.

I mean, not that we're gonna solve everything, but at least as council president Pratt said, we can advocate and you know, swing for defenses as much as we can to get some of these things resolved or partially fixed uh rather than just let them stay infester and continue on.

Appreciate you guys listening and understanding where we're coming from and not just uh pushing us away when we don't matter.

Yeah, okay.

So we appreciate that.

Thank you.

Anything else?

All right, anything else?

Oh, Council Brooks.

I also want to thank everybody for coming out.

I um it it was interesting in the last PAB meeting we had um somebody come from the Fair Housing Organization with the results from the blind study that they do every year.

And what was interesting about that, especially with disabilities, was that the evictions are high, but the barrier isn't right when you go into housing, it's after someone's been in housing.

Um that people lose their housing, which is just to me.

I worked with a lot of people that were on disability when I was a therapist, and it's just heartbreaking to me when people are in such need.

I also want to just sort of speak out.

Um that I know that part of our community tonight that was more present last year is not here tonight.

I don't see them here tonight.

Um, our Spanish speaking community was here a little bit stronger last year.

Um know that we know that there's more issues going on right now for a lot of different people that might not be here tonight as well, and we will be thinking about those things as well.

Um, and I it takes a lot of courage to come up and share, and there is retaliation, and we know that it comes through in the numbers, so it's not just a feeling, uh, you're not crazy, it really happens, and it really happens to women more.

So just know, and a lot of times women are as vocal, so it feels uncomfortable to start.

So just know that we really appreciate the courage to come out, especially everybody, especially facing the trauma that you guys all have discussed very um candidly tonight.

And um, I'm interested too if there's other organizations when you're talking about your advocacy that are tenant-based or that you're working with that um that we should know about as part of our resources that might not be something that just is through the county, but is something that's more grassroots, and that would be helpful too because there's always a lot of innovation in those types of organizations.

Thanks.

Anything else, Erin?

Not from my side.

Thank you, Mayor.

All right.

Well, we'll go ahead and uh close out the forum for this year.

Again, thank you all for coming, providing your input.

I've got lots of notes, and we got lots to discuss, and you know, as I said, we'll be out there advocating on behalf of you.

We already know February 9th.

If you want to beat up on TriMet with us, come on, be right here, 7 o'clock on February 9th.

More than happy to help you help us out doing it.

So February 9th.

Is it February 9th, right, Sherylan?

Yes, yep, February 9th.

7 p.m.

Yep.

They work session or council.

It's council.

Okay, yes, 7 p.m.

All right.

Well, everyone have happy holidays, happy new year.

Um, and again, appreciate everyone coming out tonight and giving us the feedback we need to hear.

Thank you.

I did have one last closing thought.

If anybody did want to take some of the pizza, if you would like to take some food home, feel free to do so.

And everybody also should remember every we're always here for these council meetings, so you can always come in and give comment any time as long as it's something that's not on the agenda.

So we want just feel free to come in and talk to us if things are going on.

Thanks.